High School Scandal
by AutumnHatersUnite
Summary: What is your MC really thinking? Is she as innocent and "Mary Sue"-ish as she seems? Find out as we see how this high school story *actually* started.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue**_

"Hello? Is anyone here?" I called out, walking around the land I (well, technically my parents' credit card) had brought. The land was to be used for a new school, after I had been subsequently expelled from St. Mondrian's School for Girls in London, St. Aubergine's School for Young Women in Austria, Geneva Academy in Switzerland, and the Malibu School of the Fine Arts near Los Angeles.

I had attended the best schools internationally while my parents traveled from place to place, father in the name of business and mother in the name of spa days. I was an only child and they didn't want the hassle of dealing with my education, so they shipped me off to the best academic institutions money could buy.

I didn't care much for the mandatory church services and stuffy school uniforms St. Mondrian's and St. Aubergine's insisted I wear, so I did _some thing_s to facilitate their desire to have me leave. The bitchy math teacher at Geneva caught me skiving class to go shopping with my friends one too many times, and at MSFA I interrupted the headmaster's lecture on lame school rules with one of my signature pranks.

My parents didn't care, of course. In fact, Father said to me "Here. Start your own school. Since it's _your_ own, you can't possibly be expelled _this _time," and handed me a variety of forms, checks, credit cards, and methods of financial support for my new school.

And with that, I got to work. I purchased land in an empty lot that was large enough to formulate a school befitting to my needs, got some pushovers with college degrees (people who wanted desperately to get in with my father and his company, and would do anything I said) to be the principal and teachers, and designed the buildings with the help of an expert architectural team.

The construction of my school was rather genius, if I do say so myself. I had only four large two-story classrooms (designed to look like graduation caps), and the majority of the buildings were "hangouts", places where the students could just chill. I had made jock hangouts for the athletes who would win sporting events and basically trump over all the rival schools. I had also constructed nerd hangouts for the people that had the smarts and GPAs necessary to make my school top-notch in academics (hey, I might be a troublemaker, but for the most part I actually get pretty good grades). And lastly, I had formed prep hangouts, for people like me, who loved all the classy things in life. In fact, the center prep hangout was designated as my private hangout, for me and my friends alone. It even had its own key, and no one, not even the principal and teachers, could enter without my permission. (Yes, it sounds extremely unlikely, but when you have money, you can basically get away with anything).

My thoughts were interrupted when I saw a girl with squinty light brown eyes and light brown hair in a side braid wearing a red tank top with a white long-sleeved, paint-splattered men's shirt over it, paint-splattered light-wash jeans, and the rattiest sneakers I had ever seen. An oval ivory-colored locket was around her neck, and her right wrist sported a tacky black bangle bracelet.

She spoke. "Hey! I'm Autumn. I heard this school was opening today, so I stopped by to check it out!" She looked around my newly constructed school. "This place isn't much to look at yet, but you can make this the best school ever!" She put her hands on her hips and grinned.

_Excuse me? I worked hard on the construction and design for my school all summer! _

Autumn prattled on. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you! I go to Hearst High. It's right over there." She gestured to a set of large concrete buildings that resembled your typical American public school nearby.

"So you're trespassing…" I commented.

Autumn's faced drooped. "What? No! I was just hanging around here… where I'm not supposed to be… all alone… Okay, so maybe I was technically trespassing, but I wasn't looking for trouble. Are we going to have to fight over turf now or something? Because I left my nunchucks in my other purse… And honestly, I'd really rather be friends." She smiled. I could tell that no matter what I did, I'd be stuck with her for life. She was just like my ex-"friend" Candy from St. Aubergine's, who clung on to me like I was her life support even when I got fed up and screamed at her for a moment to myself.

"Heh. I'm not really used to people being so _friendly_." I remarked. Some people were just too clingy for their own good.

Autumn didn't detect the undertone in my voice (honestly, few people really can. Even Mother and Father can't tell). She chirped on. "That's me! Super friendly."

"So you're super friendly, and you hang out in empty lots?" I snickered. Obviously, if she was as friendly as she thought she was, she wouldn't be alone like this.

"Actually, I come here pretty often," Autumn replied. "The people at Hearst can be… well, they can be jerks. I've been wanting to transfer to this school ever since I heard it was opening!" _Oh dear_, I thought. I was destined to be doomed from the start.

"But Hearst High is the most prestigious school in the area… and my dad won't let me transfer." Autumn pouted.

_Yay! _I smiled to myself. _But I doubt Hearst is more prestigious than Athena Academy_. Yet again, Autumn interrupted me from my reverie.

"That's why I'm so excited you're here!" she squealed. "Since the school is just opening, it's really up to the people here to improve it. You can make this school even better than Hearst High… and then my dad will let me transfer for sure!" _Ugh, I hope that's not the case._

"Awesome! This isn't going to be much of a school if I'm the only student." I muttered sarcastically as a jock guy left the Admissions Office.

I was interrupted from my thoughts yet again when Autumn squealed like a wounded hyena as she ran to a classroom. "This school's first classroom! So exciting! Let me get a picture of you next to it! That way we can look back on this day and remember it was the start of something big. Now smile!"

She spoke so quickly, I couldn't even get a word in as Autumn started attacking the camera. As soon as I could, I casually excused myself and escaped to the sanctity of a second-floor classroom. But luck wasn't with me today, as Autumn was right on my heels.

"Look at you, hitting the books already!" she exclaimed.

"I'm not _all_ party _all _the time," I sniffed. It was hopeless to get away from Autumn, so I went downstairs and headed to the Admissions Office. Maybe if I pretended to act busy with official school matters, she would hop off.

My hypothesis proved incorrect when Autumn saw a nerd guy and a prep girl leaving the Admissions Office.

"What did I tell you? This school has so much potential!" Autumn proclaimed. She whirled around and picked up a handful of pamphlets from a desk in the Admissions Office.

"Now let's see if anyone else here wants to improve themselves…," she muttered, tapping her chin. She threw a pamphlet in the nerd guy's face.

"Thanks! I'm feeling smarter already!" he said sarcastically. I could tell that he was offended by Autumn's insinuation that he needed to improve himself.

Autumn didn't stop there.

"Ooh! What cute decorations!" she bleated. "Let's take some pictures!" She gestured to the nerd guy, prep girl, and me. "Everyone squeeze in!"

She started to take a picture. And another one. And another one. And yet another one. After a long while, I put my hand out.

"Okay… that's… wow. 200 photos of us posing in front of the decorations," I raised my eyebrows.

"I might've gotten carried away." Autumn said.

_Understatement of the century._

Autumn's annoyances were put on the back burner when my iPhone chirped with a new message.

"Huh… I just got a text from some girl named Kara. She's demanding I meet her out in the parking lot…" I announced to my friends.

Autumn's face darkened. "That must be Kara Sinclair. She's the head cheerleader at Hearst. She's not someone you want to mess with."

I laughed. "Oh Autumn, you have a lot to learn if you think some lame cheerleader with a hidden inferiority complex intimidates me." I knew that whoever this Kara bitch was, she must consider me a threat if she felt the need to go to all the trouble of finding out my number and demanding a confrontation. So pathetic. If it was me, I'd pretend to make nice with my enemies and destroy them from the inside. I guess simpletons like her never truly grasped the essence of Machiavellian-esque queen bee politics. She had her power just handed to her. She never had to work hard to get it and maintain it in the first place like I had. But that would lead to her downfall, a fact I knew only too well.

"How does she even know your number?" the prep girl inquired.

"Oh, she's an expert in rumors and blackmail. I'm sure it was easy for her to find it. You shouldn't meet her alone…" Autumn replied. _Haha, oh Autumn, you have no idea who the _real _expert in rumors and blackmail is._

"Who said I'm going alone?" I smirked. If the bitch wanted a confrontation, she would get one. But first, time for a touch-up. I went to the center prep hangout… and_ Autumn_, unsurprisingly,followed me. I realized that she was really obsessed with me for whatever reason, and that shaking her off wouldn't do anything. _It's time to try a new tactic_, I realized.

I unlocked the hangout and went to the bathroom on the second floor. I had it custom-made in various tones of pink and it was notably nicer than all the other bathrooms on campus (but granted, they _were_ pretty nice themselves).

"Whoa!" Autumn cried. "This is so nice! And large." She gestured to the marble sinks and bathtub, shower, and the six powder room stalls (three were actually dressing rooms).

"Like it?" I took my Clinique makeup bag out of my oversized Longchamp tote and blotted my face, reapplied a few coats of DiorShow mascara, spread some Burt's Bees lip balm across my lips, and ran my Mason Pearson brush through my hair. There. Sweet and "natural", not too overdone. Only an über-girly girl would be able to tell.

"I love it!" Autumn beamed. She sat on the edge of the marble tub, bouncing up and down, jiggling her left foot.

"All this could be yours… if you do a few favors for me," I smiled sweetly. If Autumn was going to be an annoying thorn in my side, I might as well get something out of it.

"What favors?" Autumn asked.

"I want copies of all the Hearst High yearbooks from 2000 onwards," I ordered.

"I'll do it," Autumn squeaked. "But why?"

"Don't worry about it," I smiled. Gathering up intel was one of my secret specialties, one that no one knew about. "It's for a little charity project."

I inspected my outfit, a white Theory dress with white Tory Burch flats and my grandmother's pearl necklace at my neck. Hair, check. Makeup, check. Outfit, check. I always made sure I was absolutely and wholly flawless before facing the world. That way, my enemies wouldn't be able to have anything on me. Next, I cued up Facebook on my phone and did a search for Kara Sinclair. I laughed out loud when I saw her face. She applied makeup like a clueless twelve-year-old… it was caked on her face like bees on honey, and it did not look "natural" at all. _Weakness found. _I quit the app, put my iPhone in my tote, and opened the bathroom door.

"Let's go," I told Autumn.

And with that, we left to confront Kara "Cake-Up" Sinclair.


	2. The Showdown

_**The Showdown**_

"Ready for this?" I asked my new friends, who had all transferred to my school today.

"Oh yeah. Let's see if this Kara girl is as tough as she thinks she is," the jock guy declared.

"She might have her boyfriend Max with her. His dad's the principal at Hearst High!" Autumn squeaked.

"Don't worry, Autumn. We have this under control." I snickered. We headed to the parking lot, where a girl in a swamp green and yellow cheerleading uniform sat, anxiously checking every three seconds to see if anyone was coming or not. I checked her shoes. White, average nondescript cheerleading sneakers. Next to her was a guy whom I assumed to be Max. He had short, cropped blond hair and wore a yellow and swamp green varsity jacket, his mouth curled up in a smirk. His shoes were swamp green and yellow athletic sneakers. As we approached them, he spoke.

"So, Loser High got its first loser." Max sneered.

"And look, Little Miss Quirkface is already over here. I always knew Autumn was a dork, but I never thought she was a traitor…" Kara added. _Quirkface? That's a new one_, I couldn't help thinking.

"Hey, back off! What do you have against our school, anyway?" the nerd guy spoke up.

"There's a plan for this land, and it doesn't involve your crappy school!" Max puffed out his chest.

_Tactic one: the guilt-trip card._

"I don't know who you two think you are, but you can't just go around bullying people…" I made my face sweet and sorrowful. That way, when Max and Kara lashed out, they would look even worse than they already did. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the nerd, jock, and prep start to become even more enraged towards Kara and Max.

Then Cake-Up, I mean Kara, got in my face. "And what are you gonna do about it?" she demanded.

I pretended to consider my options.

"Well, I definitely can't hit you," I began. "With all that caked-on makeup, it's like you're wearing face armor." I smirked and my friends behind me began to laugh.

"That's so true!" the prep girl chortled.

"Excuse me?" Kara screeched.

I put on a face of mock pity. "Oh, I'm sorry, were you intentionally going for the trashy clown look? If so, you still kind of overdid it on the eyeliner." My friends laughed even harder.

"This is so not funny. I'm not going to forget this." Kara threatened. Before I could sling another barb, Max interrupted.

"Enjoy your crappy school while you can, loser. Because it's _not_ going to be around long."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I laughed. Did Max and Kara seriously think that their pedantic threats were intimidating?

Max took on an air of authority. "All new schools need at least fifteen students to stay open. And with Hearst High right next door… well, you've got a lot to compete with." He puffed out his chest yet again.

"Come on, Kara. Let's ditch these losers." And with that, he and Kara left.

"Now you can see why I don't really like being at Hearst High…" Autumn said quietly.

Then, my iPhone beeped with a reminder.

"Oh, shit! I have that interview with the local news right now!" My eyes widened. With all the drama that Cake-Up and her wannabe-stud boyfriend had caused, I had forgotten about the interview that I had promised to give the local news station. The story was a win-win situation for both of us. I gave them a story in a town that continually had slow news days, and they gave me publicity for my new school.

"Let's sprint and get back to school!" the jock guy exclaimed.

"Let's just walk there quickly," the prep girl interrupted him. "No need in getting sweaty for the local news."

"You have a good point there," I conceded. "We'll just walk there quickly."

We walked there briskly and entered the Admissions Office, where a reporter and cameraperson were waiting for me.

"There you are!" the reporter exclaimed. "It's the girl of the hour."

After having a mic placed on me and the camera adjusted to the correct angle, we began filming.

"It's not every day that a teen heiress suddenly starts her own school. What was your primary motivation for choosing to do so?" the reporter inquired.

'_Cause I refuse to follow the rules. Especially when they're stupid and petty. So I decided to make my own school, with my own rules so I can have my complete and total autonomy. _But that's not what the cameras—and the world—wants to hear. What could I say instead? Then I looked at Autumn, and inspiration struck. Maybe that clingy, annoying girl would be useful for something after all.

"Autumn, come here," I cooed. As Autumn came over, I draped my arm around her.

"It was for a very dear friend," I began, widening my eyes and placing my free hand over my heart. "Autumn here has been bullied so much at her school, and she didn't feel welcome there. Seeing all the pain she was in, my heart just gave out—" here I beguiled choking back a sob—"and I vowed to do something to help her. I told her, 'Oh, I see, all right. And I don't think anyone else should have to put up with bullies like them.' And I decided that I'm going to make this the best high school this town has ever seen, and I'm going to open it up to anyone who wants to come here. For everyone who feels bullied… ignored… or just plain lost… this will be the place for them." By the time I had finished speaking, the reporter's, cameraperson's, and my classmates' eyes all glistened with tears. The rest of the interview went smoothly as I spun my answers to produce the results I desired. After the news crew and my classmates left, Autumn and I were alone in the office.

"Oh, I wish I could transfer here…" Autumn lamented.

"Just give it time, Autumn. I know we'll be able to convince your dad." I smiled trickily.

"Yeah, well, right now, I need to get back to Hearst. I'll see you later." Autumn ran off.

Autumn wanted to be in my school? Well, she'd better be careful about what she wished for. If she got in, I'd make sure she'd regret it. After I got my revenge on Cake-Up and her boyfriend, of course.

_**To be continued…**_


	3. Footbrawl, part 1

The next day, I was sitting at a picnic table, surrounded by a flurry of preps, jocks, and nerds who each had their own ideas about how to improve the school. Next to me, a prep girl hurriedly took notes on her smartphone as I either nodded or said "No way in Hermès."

Of course, everything was interrupted as a certain pair of footsteps ran from my school's entrance to the picnic table I was sitting at.

"Hey!" Autumn chirped as she approached the center of the table where I was. Autumn then put her hands down on the wooden tabletop with a loud _plunk_. "I know we need to get more students to keep this place open…" Her eyes looked up in nervous anticipation as a red flush crept over her cheeks. Suddenly, I knew what was going on. Little Miss Peppy wanted me to recruit her crush!

"… and I thought of someone that we might be able to recruit!" I knew it. Some people were just too easy to figure out.

Autumn droned on. "His name's Julian, and he's a star football player at Hearst High," she said dreamily. I bit my lip to prevent a snicker from escaping. Did this loser seriously think she had a chance?

"But, well, he's been having some problems there." Despite what her words were saying, Autumn seemed to be _happy _about his problems. Her brown eyes gleamed as her lips quirked up in a small smile. Of course, she would be happy—if she transferred to my school and her crush was there too, she would be on cloud nine. But if she honestly thinks she's going to get her way, she doesn't know me at all.

"I'll go get him, but in the meantime, keep recruiting for your school!" Autumn ordered. "We're going to need _a lot _more people, and it'll help us impress Julian," she said as she walked off. _More like, it'll help _you _impress Julian_, I thought as my classmates stared at her, offended that she thought they weren't enough.


	4. Footbrawl, part 2

A short while later, Autumn arrived with a muscled guy with spiky black hair and tan skin wearing a swamp-green and orange Hearst High football uniform in tow.

"Hey. Autumn said you're recruiting people," the guy, who I assumed to be Julian, said.

I started to reply, but then Autumn but in.

"Julian's a big football star at Hearst High," Autumn cooed, trying to make her squinty brown eyes big in a failed attempt at flirting. "But he's been having some problems there. You remember Max? Max joined the team a few weeks ago, and the principal insists that he gets to play Julian's position!" Finally, Autumn stopped to catch her breath.

"That's terrible," I commented.

Julian's face contorted into an expression of rage as he put his hand on his hips. "Look. I didn't sign up for a share circle where we talk about our feelings. This is _my _problem. No one else's."

Autumn's face turned red as she quickly realized she was losing Julian. "I just think it's unfair!" she cried. "And you don't have to be treated that way! You can join the school!" she chirped.

Julian calmed down as he looked at me. "Well, here's the big question: how's your football team?"

"We… uh… don't exactly have a football team right now. We're just starting out," I explained, as collected as Autumn was frantic.

Julian's lips drooped in a frown. "No team? Then this was a waste of time. Autumn, you don't know me very well, but I'm a football guy. What would I do here? At least at Hearst I get _some _time on the field."

I kept my face neutral as I smirked inwardly. Looks like Autumn's plan to recruit her crush wasn't working out. But… perhaps it _would_ be in my best interest to keep her crush here.

"We could start a football program here," I began, widening my eyes at Julian.

Julian smiled. "Oh yeah? You know a lot about football?"

"I might," I cooed, fluttering my Lancôme Définicils-mascaraed-lashes at him. Out of the corner of my eyes, I could see Autumn's face turning pale. This was simply TFFW.

Julian grinned again. "But you're going to start a team? Well, here's something basic. Think you got anyone here who can go long?" A jock guy volunteered. He wound up and prepared to throw a football. I refrained from saying that I wished it would hit Autumn in the face.

"Ready?" Julian asked.

"So ready!" the jock guy replied.

"Then go!" Julian replied.

Julian paused for a moment as the jock guy ran, and then he threw the football in a perfect spiral.

"Nice catch…" Julian commented.

The jock guy slid to a halt, colliding with a classroom!

Julian frowned. "That last part _could_ use some work. Sorry, guys. You don't even have enough room around here to throw a ball! I'm not crazy about Hearst, but at least they've got a field. Anyway, I've got to head back. There's a big game today, and there's even going to be a college scout there."

He looked around and smiled. "Hey, Autumn, you coming?"

Autumn looked like she was about to vomit. "Uh, I wasn't planning on it… I mean, I'm not really into football…" Her beady eyes then narrowed at me and quickly looked away. "Well, I could make an exception. I mean, maybe I could take some photos there."

"Yeah? That would be cool. I mean, if you want to. No big deal." He smiled and left.

"Sounds like he's out," I remarked.

"I think we still have a shot at recruiting Julian." Autumn insisted. "But he's right about not having enough space around here…" Her nose wrinkled as she glared at the conglomerate of nerd, prep, and jock hangouts that I (and a team of architectural specialists) had designed.

_Excuse me? _I resisted the urge to slap her across the face. What a bitch.

Autumn prattled on. "I guess we better buy tickets to that football game so we can watch Julian. I mean, cheer for Julian. I mean—"

I interrupted her. "I think I get what you mean," I snapped.

"I'm just trying to show that this new school will be enthusiastic about sports! We have to go. For the good of your school!" Autumn commanded. _More like for your own selfish reasons, so you can check out your crush_, I scowled to myself.

People were always trying to get me to add new features to the school, pay for things, or sacrifice things for them, and they always, always used the excuse "for the good of your school" just because I was the one who had founded it. I was sick and tired of being used. The preps had already demanded an on-campus latte shop and clothing store. The nerds wanted a state-of-the-art robotics club. The jocks wanted a larger swimming pool. I could do all that, but did they really have to demand from me that frequently?

I shook myself out of my thoughts. I had to concentrate on the problem at hand.


	5. Footbrawl, part 3

Autumn and I walked to the Hearst High football field. The entire walk over, Autumn rambled on about how many guys liked her, and how she was good at everything she did. I'm not even exaggerating. Literally, that was all she talked about.

"And did I mention, I'm also pretty good at fencing and playing soccer?" Autumn went on and on. _The one thing you'll never be good at is having a sense of fashion, _I thought to myself. Autumn had talked the entire time, and I hadn't even gotten a word in. Not that I particularly wanted to.

Finally, we reached the football field and I searched for Julian. He was grumbling and pacing in front of a bench. The coach glared at him.

"Come on! Put me in!" Julian raged.

"What's going on? Why isn't the coach letting him play?" I asked as I ran a finger over my Bulgari pendant.

Autumn put her hands on her hips and glared at the coach. "My guess? The coach wants the spotlight on Max. No chance of that if Julian is playing."

"That doesn't look good," I observed. The tension in the air was as palpable as a Louis Vuitton knockoff bag. And with guys involved, fists were going to start flying. I pulled out my iPhone and sent out a text.

Autumn loudly munched on a bag of buttery popcorn. "Want some?" she asked me, her mouth still full. _Ew. _I turned away.

"Sorry, I don't eat carbs," I snickered. "But it's not like you would know." I eyed her thighs pointedly.

Autumn's face turned red as she "accidentally" threw her bag of popcorn down three rows of bleachers. It hit a pair of middle-school-aged twin girls, who turned around and glared, searching for the perpetrator. When Autumn wasn't looking, I made eye contact with the twins and pointed at her. They nodded in thanks, mischievous smiles creeping across their faces.

Down on the field, the opposing team's (which was the Twin Branches Squirrels) coach called a timeout. As Max ran back to the bench, he shouldered past Julian.

"Aw, is someone sad he's not gonna get to play? Maybe if you cry, Coach will put you in." Max smirked.

"That's it!" Julian roared as he charged at Max.

Autumn gasped. "We've got to stop this!"

"One step ahead of ya," I smirked as the jock guy I had texted before arrived, just in time.

"I'll handle this," he assured me.

"Good luck. And be careful!" Autumn looked like she was going to pee her pants. What a baby.

"Okay, break it up! That's enough!" the jock guy announced, diving in between Max and Julian, shoving both of them back.

Max glared at him. "No one asked you to get involved! Who do you think you are?"

"Let's just say I'm a concerned citizen," the jock guy glared back at Max.

Max ignored him, choosing to now glare at Julian. "You just cost us fifteen yards," he glowered.

The Hearst High coach looked absolutely furious. "Hit the showers!" he yelled at Julian.

Max grinned. "Aww, looks like someone just got thrown out of the game. Gotta watch that temper, buddy."

"I…" Julian scowled.

I gathered up my pink Valentino Garavani Rockstud bag and traipsed down, not really caring if Autumn was following me or not.

I looked at Max.

"Aww, looks like someone can't be a football star without their daddy's help," I said in a saccharine voice.

It took Max a full minute to process the insult due to my sugary tone. Before he could respond, I nudged Julian gently with my hand. "Come on. Let's get out of here."

I didn't bother looking back, but I knew that he was glaring at the back of my Frédéric Fekkai blowout as I strode away, knowing that I had won this time.


	6. Footbrawl, part 4

Back at my school, we all reconvened at a picnic table. Autumn, to my dismay, had followed us.

"Julian, how could you do that?" Autumn whined.

"Okay, maybe I shouldn't have gone after him," Julian acknowledged, "but that was not cool! Coach doesn't play me for the whole game, and then Max wants to laugh in my face about it?"

"That doesn't mean you can just attack him," Autumn lectured.

Julian's face crumpled in defeat as he conceded. "…you're right. I was out of control. Thanks for stepping in," he nodded to the jock guy.

"No problem," he replied. "I'm glad I could help. That was intense."

"Yeah. After that, Coach isn't going to give me another chance, not with Max calling the shots." Julian looked down as his phone buzzed. His eyes narrowed as he read the text. "Great. The principal called my dad and told him everything. He's ballistic."

Julian looked at me pleadingly. "I can't go home. Not right now. Do you have somewhere around here I can hang out and clear my head?"

I gestured to the new on-campus power smoothie stand that the jocks had demanded me to get since the preps had their own latte shop.

"Thanks," Julian replied.

Autumn continued to whine. "That was really scary, Julian. You know, you can't always punch all your problems away."

Julian's face drooped in a frown. "You don't get it…"

Autumn blushed. "I'd like to. I know you're a tough guy, and you like to be all gruff and brooding and muscular…" _Someone's been reading way too many Harlequin romance novels_, I snickered to myself.

Julian interrupted her. "You think I'm muscular?" He grinned.

Autumn became flustered. "I… um… my point is, I'm worried about you. What happened out there?"

"Look, I'm not some nerd who can make a million dollars on a computer, I'm not artistic the way you are… I know what I'm good at, and it's football. That's the one thing I've got going for me. My only shot at getting into college is a football scholarship. And to get one, I need to impress a scout," Julian began.

Then his face curled up in anger. "Today could have changed everything for me. And Coach didn't even give me a chance to play! I just couldn't take it."

Autumn sniffed. "I get it. You lost your temper. I don't think it was right," she added condescendingly, "but I get it."

"Hey, you're welcome to stay. Permanently." I gave him a pointed look.

"Yeah!" Autumn agreed, a little too eagerly. "Enroll at her school!"

"Hey, like I said, I'm a football guy. What am I going to do here if I'm not playing football? I need to be on a team that knows what they're doing." Julian stated.

I flipped my hair. "You'll be starting the team. We've already got the people here who are ready to play. Let them show you what they can do," I guided.

"Oh yeah? I'll give you a shot. Let's go." His eyes met mine and Autumn glowered. Silly girl. I didn't even like him like that, but seeing the look on her face was just priceless.


End file.
